We have been informed of a recently circulated email regarding the use of aspirin, which included mention of Dr. Virend Somers and of Mayo Clinic. Neither Dr. Somers nor Mayo Clinic contributed to this email, which contains some information that is inaccurate and potentially harmful. We recommend that you speak with your physician if you have specific questions.
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What were the parts that were not accurate in the Virend Somers post on Aspirin:
IMPORTANT ASPIRIN INFORMATION
To add to your body of body knowledge:
Dr. Virend Somers, a cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic who is lead author of the report in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A..M. and noon, Somers said. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.
While the first two paragaphs are for the most part correct the rest of the email should be discussed with your physician
In general, we do not recommend obtaining advice on medical treatment from chain mailings,especially when they are of uncertain origin.
Aspirin is indeed appropriate for a heart attack but as with any medication, treatment needs to be individualized for each patient. There is no evidence to support potentially harmful recommendations such as not to lie down if you are having a heart attack. We cannot address other specific aspects of the emails since there have been many variations in their content. We recommend you discuss this with your physician.
I am a Parish Nurse in NC and tought the e-mail was good information. I’m glad I followed up on the info.
I am a Parish Nurse in MN and thought the email was thought provoking, but I thought the information about using aspirin for all was too general. People should consult their doctor as to individual use. Read Dr. Verend Somers’ article in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology quickly but did not see mention of aspirin treatment of heart attacks, so decided to search Mayo Clinic’s site and cross reference Mayo Clinic and apirin in the treatment of heart attack, and I came along this page’s comment. I too am glad I followed up on the info.
Who is the responsible author of the email “Aspirin Info”?
Why does the illustration of a Bayer product dominant the email?
I have always known that baby aspirin was good for your heart. – what happened ? Bayer stopped giving kickbacks ?
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my Dr. recommended Itake my aspirin at night, in light of when most heart attacks seeming ly occur
“take an aspirin and call me in the morning”
Greg, good point.
I guess if he takes the Aspirin, he WOULD BE AROUND to call his doctor (or anyone) in the morning. LOL.
Some probablistic info or recommendations with limited downside would be more useful than the comment above by Mayo.
If I am having a first suspected heart attack with no prior medical history, should I take the aspirin?
Is it likely to help?
Would the answer be different if there was likely a long delay in getting medical assistance eg live half an hour from hospital and ambulance and doctor?
Apart from ringing for assistance what are the steps that are highly likely to likely to help?
What are commonly talked about things I should not do?
Thank you for your questions. They have been referred for a reply.
Please see this link and the statement below: http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2010/02/28/misleading-aspirin-email-virend-somers-mayo-clinic/
We have been informed of a recently circulated email regarding the use of aspirin, which included mention of Dr. Virend Somers and of Mayo Clinic. Neither Dr. Somers nor Mayo Clinic contributed to this email, which contains some information that is inaccurate and potentially harmful. We recommend that you speak with your physician if you have specific questions.
Two bits on internet: there’s no value in posting a link to the page on which you have posted the link. That’s as useful as pulling yourself up by your hair…
Why would you post that link to its own page? Why not use this as an opportunity? Obviously viral emails will mean many people searching your site for verification. How about posting some useful info regarding the subject. Inaction or useless responses multiply the damage that could affect your credibility. Geez, you aren’t amateurs. Are you?
Thank you for participating in our conversation, if you would like to learn more about aspirin, please look at this: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/daily-aspirin-therapy/HB00073
Mayo’s comment is way too general. They say comments were too general but say nothing specific about generalizations that MIGHT be useful. For example they say comment by original email about not lying down is not proven but they don’t say if that is good or bad. What position IS best? They don’t know. As a doctor myself preload to the heart is decreased a little while sitting rather than lying and it makes sense to me the sitting position may be better. Likewise with breathing effort. I am sitting unless scientific medical research tells me otherwise. Who exactly is the author of the Mayo response? Mayo is an institution, not a person. Come on “Mr. Mayo” you can do better than that….or can’t you?
So which is it? Is it safe to say: (1) An 81 mg aspirin a day is good for you IF your physician approves? (2) Should aspirin taken in this way REALLY be taken at night? (3) What exactly DOES the Mayo Clinic say?
Thank you!
Here is the link from Mayoclinic.com on aspirin. Thank you for your interest. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/daily-aspirin-therapy/HB00073
Would be nice if in this Mayo info sheet there was a option to forward…
Thanks.
Thank you for your suggestion. Are you referring to forwarding a blog post?
Mayo should have an option on this page to FORWARD.
Thanks.
I was looking for information regarding this email to see if the information is authentic. First, I did have a friend who was having a heart attack, called 911 and was told by the paramedics ‘DO NOT LIE DOWN’ … so maybe there is some truth that should be looked at in that statement. As for an attack on Bayer above, for years my husband was told NOT to take Bayer asperin as it was different from regular asperin. Was that Doctor just biased or was he correct? Sometimes even Dr’s don’t have the answers! Instead of Dr’s dancing around the subject on this answer board, Mayo could give some solid, practical information such as an answer to the time of day to take the asperin? Should we keep asperin hand by the bedside? Who is Lee Aase and why didn’t this Dr. actually state that he had no connection with this email? Mayo’s answer “contact your own Doctor” is a cop out to now giving good, sound information for the public. Maybe this is all about money for Doctors? OH I JUST FOUND LINK TO INFO … WAY DOWN THE PAGE … Now that really is helpful isn’t it?
Kudos to “Paul”" and “Anthony.”
I did check with my family doctor and he gave me permission to do an aspirin a night…however one side effect is clotting. As a hobby I work on a WWII bomber and sometimes cut myself on the metal. I have noticed that it does not clot as fast as I used to and when I asked the doctor he said “you are on aspirin.” No bid deal on small cuts and scraps but it is something you need to watch for.
As everyone else has stated check with your family physician first.
Stop the bickering. What may save ones life may well kill another What is good for one maybe not be true for another Use good common sence and stop bitching. If some can save some one from death then so be it.
Common sense – that the one that told us the world was flat and the entire universe revolved about the earth, etc.?
Dr. Oz says take an aspirin a day just to feel younger, so if that is true then it has double effects. Hard for me to imagine that it could make u feel younger, but for sure it decreases blood clotting (which causes many heart attacks). But I’am under the impression that a shot of brandy (or any alcohol for that matter) also thins the blood, so if u have no aspirin handy, a shot is better than death. I whole heartly agree if our best medical facilities r unwilling to pass on safe health practices, where does that leave us?
I wish people would not be so fast with uncertain and questionable forwards! Someone’s life could be at stake as a consequence. Medical questions should always be discussed with your physician. You should never play your own doctor because of a forward from who knows whom! You can do valuable reasearch on the net; but discuss your findings with your doc!